In every diet I’ve ever tried I’ve always run into at least one problem. Either I’m hungry or I’m tired or I’m not losing weight at all. Self.com posted a great article of expert backed fixes for Diet Do-Overs to Help You Lose Weight by Courtney Rubin. I wish I had seen these fixes years ago!

“I’m starving all the time.” A daily diet of under 1,400 calories won’t supply enough nutrients to keep you full and fueled, and may lead you to quit.The fix. Who says dieting is all about having less? Three things to enjoy more of…Calories: Up them to 1,600 a day if you’re trying to lose, 2,000 if you’re maintaining. Nosh sessions: Have three daily meals, plus two snacks, eating every four hours keeps blood sugar steady, preventing cravings and crankiness. Lean protein: It sends stronger “I’m full” signals to your brain than carbs or fat do.

“The needle on the scale is stuck.” Plateaus are common after you’ve been steadily losing weight for six months, the National Institutes of Health reports. When you’re lighter, your body needs fewer calories, so what used to make you shrink is now what you need to maintain your size.The fix. Cut about 200 calories more a day. If you don’t start losing again within two weeks or so, your calorie counts or portions may be off. Keep a food diary for a week to catch errors. If you’re eyeballing portions, measure your food instead . Finally, switch up your workout: If you do the same one every day, your body won’t build as much fat-burning muscle, says Gina Harney, a personal trainer in Tucson, Arizona.

“I’m busy, so I tend to eat out a lot.” Restaurant meals can be calorific, especially because no one monitors whether or not chefs are doling out heavy-handed portions.The fix. Alcohol revs appetite, so stick to one drink and sip it with dinner, not before. Order grilled over fried (entrées) and steamed over sautéed (veggies); if you truly crave something decadent, go halfsies.

“My willpower vanishes on weekends.” You may be depriving yourself too much during the week, making you more likely to overcompensate later, Marinaccio says.The fix. Factor approximately 1,400 fun calories a week into your diet, and spend 150 to 250 of them a day on treats you’d otherwise miss most. That way, you won’t be as tempted to scarf them all down come Friday. Do bank two or three days’ worth of fun calories for a splurge worthy event—but no more than that. And schedule a workout for the morning after: That third cocktail won’t look quite so tempting if you have a 9 A.M. Spin bike booked for the next day.

Hello World!

I'm a 20 something, fun loving girl living in NYC. I’m (healthily) obsessed with food & everything about it...eating, smelling, cooking, even just looking! I am professionally trained, graduating from the Institute of Culinary Education in 2010. I don't currently work in the culinary world but I hope to soon! In the meantime I'm cooking, eating and blogging. So stick around! :)
xo,
Lacy